Naples -Matera-Alberobello-Naples

Description

Let me accompany you on a trip to the beautiful cities of Southern Italy. Visit Matera and its beautiful stone houses + trulli of Alberobello, The tour can be customized: "MATERA (2 hours STOP) + ALBEROBELLO (2 hours stop)" This is a one-day tour with return in the evening.

Capital of Basilicata Matera, also known as the "city of stones", is a unique place in the world, not by chance was elected European Capital of Culture 2019. It 'one of those places that leaves the traveler a feeling of melancholy melancholy; a country rich in history, culture, suggestions, where the past relives in every glimpse and way. The accommodation facilities, the good food, the friendliness of the locals make it an ideal destination not only for a weekend but also for longer stays; Matera is in fact an excellent base for exploring the surrounding areas and going as far as Puglia: Alberobello, Ostuni, the Castellana Caves are easily reachable from here. Let's explore together a city that every day seduces tourists from all over the world.Cross the modern Matera, to tell the truth quite anonymous, and after a stretch of steep downhill curves you will see the exciting spectacle of the famous Sassi. But what are they really? These are the tuff rocks that make up the urban center; the caves, made from the rock, were the homes of the peasants until not long ago. The people who lived in cave-houses, in poor sanitary conditions, were the symbol of Southern Italy's backwardness. De Gasperi, during a rally in Matera, called these homes "the shame of Italy" and he himself signed a special law for its displacement that occurred in 1952 with the construction of new residential neighborhoods. After 30 years of abandonment, a law financed the recovery of the old Matera districts that have now become museums, restaurants, bed and breakfasts.The city can easily be discovered on foot, by yourself or by choosing to rely on one of the well-prepared guides; you will find group tours, individual and, for those who do not want to walk, bee tours. Go to the discovery of Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano (divided by the Duomo) a maze of narrow streets and stairways, caves and rock churches.The streets of the stones are scattered with shops of artists and artisans, restaurants and typical places, which find space inside the famous caves. There is also a more modern part of Matera, crossed by a graceful corset and full of life, especially in the evening. In Piazza Pascoli, where there is the Palazzo Lanfranchi, there is one of the many viewpoints on the stones. Stop there and think about what life was like for the Materans a few decades ago. The Cave House, which can be visited at the modest price of two euros, will help you to get an idea; crazy to think that in a so small environment there were eleven people living. Also worthy of note is the Musma, an interesting museum excavated in the rock and entirely dedicated to sculpture and three-dimensional art.But you can not go to Matera without visiting the Rupestrian Churches, two kilometers from the center. Wear comfortable shoes, a hat and water: the journey to get there is a bit tiring. Since many churches are closed, you should contact an authorized guide. They will accompany you through the simplest paths and will illustrate the stories and curiosities of each of them on a wonderful journey back in time; let's not forget that Matera, together with Pedra and Jerusalem, is one of the oldest cities in the world. But the city of stones still continues to amaze; dates back to 1991 the discovery of a huge tank used for the collection and distribution of water in homes. For those times, an incredible work of hydraulic engineering that solved the problem of drought.Only after visiting Matera, among other sets of many film films (some scenes of "The Passion" by Mel Gibson were filmed here) can you understand the words with which the writer Carlo Levi spoke "... anyone who sees Matera can not that being struck so much is expressive and touching for its sorrowful beauty

Alberobello, in Puglia, with its Trulli is one of the 53 Italian sites included by UNESCO in the World Heritage List.The name derives from the late Greek τρούλος, or "dome" and indicates the ancient conical constructions in dry stone of prehistoric origin. The stone used for the buildings was obtained from the calcareous rocks of the Murge plateau.The Trulli, mainly present in the Valle d'Itria, located between the provinces of Brindisi, Bari and Taranto, are still used today as dwellings and constitute a brilliant and long-lived example of spontaneous architecture.Alberobello, a town in the hinterland of Bari, is undoubtedly the capital of the Trulli: the historic center is made up entirely of these particular pyramid-shaped buildings that make it unique in the world.According to some studies, the trulli of Alberobello date back to the mid-fourteenth century; at the time, in fact, it was common to demolish and rebuild the disused buildings, rather than repair them.The dry construction, without mortar, seems to have been imposed on peasants in the fifteenth century by the Counts of Conversano, to escape an edict of the Kingdom of Naples that imposed tributes to each new urban settlement. These buildings were therefore precarious buildings, easily demolished and not taxable.In truth, the trulli are far from precarious: the internal structure, although lacking elements of support and connection, in fact possesses an extraordinary static capacity.The trullo plant is approximately circular; on the basis of natural rock grafted heavy masonry in lime.Generally the trulli are modular units: the internal rooms are distributed around the central compartment. The thickness of the walls and the lack of windows ensure an optimal thermal balance: warmth in winter and cool in summer.The roof is composed of a pseudo-dome of horizontal limestone slabs positioned in increasingly smaller concentric series - the so-called "chianche" (inside) and the thinner "chiancarelle" (outside).The keystone is very important, often decorated with esoteric, spiritual or propitiatory motifs. Ingenious the presence of a ledge protruding from the roof used for the collection of rainwater in special tanks.The trulli are a unique example of ancient construction that survives and is still used today. Visiting the beautiful Alberobello is like taking a trip to a timeless country.